Zags-Huskies: Rivalry renewed

Intrastate foes last played during 2006-07 season

Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo slips between UW's Phil Nelson, left, and Justin Dentmon when the teams last played in 2006. (Dan Pelle)

Ten that mattered

Gonzaga won eight of 10 games against Washington from December 1997 through December 2006 before Washington postponed the series. In that span the teams combined to make seven Sweet 16 appearances, including GU’s regional final in the ’98-’99 season.

Here are the results of those 10 games:

1997: Washington** 88, Gonzaga 82

1998: Gonzaga 82***, Washington 71*

1999: Gonzaga 76**, Washington 66

2000: Gonzaga 86**, Washington 74

2001: Gonzaga 67*, Washington 47

2002: Gonzaga 95*, Washington 89 (OT)

2003: Gonzaga 86*, Washington 62*

2004: Gonzaga 99*, Washington 87**

2005: Washington 99**, Gonzaga 95**

2006: Gonzaga* 97, Washington 77

*Team advanced to NCAA tournament

**Team advanced to NCAA Sweet 16

***Team advanced to NCAA regional final

After a 10-year break, Gonzaga and Washington will renew their men’s basketball rivalry in the 2016-17 season, the schools announced Monday.

The teams are expected to meet four straight seasons, alternating between their respective home courts. No decision has been made on the site of the first game.

“I’ve been telling people we were going to work it out,” Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth said. “Mark (Few, Gonzaga coach) and Lorenzo (Romar, Washington coach) were together at USA Basketball this weekend and had a chance to visit and got it agreed upon.”

GU and UW have met 43 times, with Washington holding a 29-14 series advantage. The Huskies declined to continue the series after the Zags won eight of 10 meetings from December 1997 through December 2006.

“Certainly when we did play Washington the games were very high intensity, great crowds and great passion,” Few said in a release. “We hope to have that same feeling with the next four years of the series.”

In 2009, Washington proposed a three-game series, all of the games to be played at KeyArena in Seattle. Gonzaga had no objection to facing the Huskies but preferred home-and-home matchups. GU has played the Battle in Seattle annually at KeyArena since the 2003-04 season.

“This series is great for the fans of our state,” Romar said. “The fans have shown that they really appreciate the game with Washington and Gonzaga. I mean, every one of them since we’ve been here has been a sellout, or close to it. There’s a lot of enthusiasm and hype centered around the game.”

The Bulldogs won the most recent meeting 97-77 on Dec. 9, 2006, at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Derek Raivio scored 25 points and freshman Matt Bouldin, in his first collegiate start, added 21. Washington won a 99-95 thriller in December 2005, as Justin Dentmon scored all 13 of his points in the final 13 minutes. Adam Morrison poured in 43 points for the visiting Zags.